Abstract

Very little research has been done on the edible holothurians form India. Although more than seventy species of holothurians are known
from the shallow-waters of India only about ten species are found to be economically Important. At present one species viz., Holothuria (Metriatyla)
scabm Jaegaer Is almost exclusively used In the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay and also In Andamans for the preparation of beche-de-mer. There
are already Indications of fishing pressure affecting the stocks. It is therefore necessary to collect data on catch, effort and length composition and
also to study age and growth, length at first maturity, spawning, fecundity, development and culture, recruitment and dispersion to take necessary
conservation methods to manage and monitor the resource rationally. The impacts of these studies on the beche-de-mer industry are discussed
In detail in the paper